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25 Oct 2003, 17:59 (Ref:762886) | #1 | ||
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How many disabled racing drivers are there / have there been?
Being somewhat disabled myself, I was wondering how many drivers there are with soem form of physical / mental / medical condition of signifiance, or have suffered one in the past?
The msot obvious are people who've been injured in racing, and returned to racing around their disability, such as by using hand controls. Alex Zanardi, Jason Watt and Clay Regazzoni all come to mind. Alessandro Nanini is another, whos arm was reattached following a helicoptor crash. Can anyone add some others? Perhaps other than limb restrictions? And which ex-drivers are now disabled? I kow of Win Percy and Tom Sneva, who else is there? Last edited by BootsOntheSide; 25 Oct 2003 at 17:59. |
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25 Oct 2003, 18:32 (Ref:762907) | #2 | ||
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Boots,
Steve Weatherley, from St. Leonards, competes regularly at my local circuit, Lydden although not in a single-seater. Steve drives a Cosworth powered Ford Sierra equipped with hand controls as he lost the use of his legs in a speedway accident some years ago. This year, the car has gone very well although he has been involved in some very unfortunate accidents resulting in many repairs to the car. Today he had yet another ‘off’ at Lydden’s paddock bend resulting in yet more damage to the car, Steve himself looked pretty dazed but otherwise uninjured ( …but I’ll bet they’ll be some bruises tomorrow !) On behalf of all the marshals at Lydden can I take this opportunity to wish Steve and his family well, and we hope very much to see him back racing next season. Last edited by Mad Hats; 25 Oct 2003 at 18:34. |
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25 Oct 2003, 19:00 (Ref:762927) | #3 | ||
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David Piper...lost part of a leg during the filming of Le Mans and continued racing
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25 Oct 2003, 23:01 (Ref:763072) | #4 | ||
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Re: How many disabled racing drivers are there / have there been?
[QUOTE]Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
[B] Can anyone add some others? Perhaps other than limb restrictions? There was a bloke featured in Autosport a few years back who had qualified for one of the National saloon championships. Unfortunately I cannot remember his name... Top gear did a feature ( again a few years ago ) about disabled drivers and included a specially adapted Vo;vo Truck and a Caterham. However, of prehaps more interest to yourself (?), there was a championship class in Karts a few years ago for spinal injured people. I don't know if it is still extent but, if interested it might be worth contacting the SIA ( Spinal Injuries Association) |
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26 Oct 2003, 00:41 (Ref:763112) | #5 | ||
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Oh so thats why in the credits is mentions him and the sacrifice he made for the film...i did wonder. Le mans, such a great film!
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26 Oct 2003, 02:53 (Ref:763148) | #6 | ||
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Carol Hollfelder drives a Ford Mustang in the SPEED World Challenge GT Series. She is paralyzed from the waist down. Her Mustang is the only 'stang ever made with a sequential transmission w/ hand controls.
In fact, Ford is going to make the special electrohydraulic sequential-6 an option on high-end '04 Mustangs. Quite a trick little machine she's got... |
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"Dumb people are always blissfully unaware of how dumb they really are." "Don't genius live in a lamp?" -Patrick Star *Yes, I used to be RacerGuy2. You don't really think I'd stick with that name the whole time now did you? ;) |
26 Oct 2003, 11:04 (Ref:763489) | #8 | ||
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CAMS won't give disabled drivers a licence in Australia.
There was a paraplegic driver in New South Wales but when a Victorian paraplegic tried to get a licence CAMS refused to give him one, when he mentioned that there was already a paraplegic racing CAMS fixed the problem by taking away the other blokes licence. CAMS is always saying that they are enforcing the FIA rules but this is one instance that they have gone to far. Bring on the AAA |
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26 Oct 2003, 11:08 (Ref:763491) | #9 | ||
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Geoff Farmer has raced for years despite losing his fingers of his right hand in an engineering accident in the early 70s. It is quite remarkable how quickly he drives his various historic cars, all with right hand gear lever.
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26 Oct 2003, 11:12 (Ref:763495) | #10 | |
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One of THE greatest enigmas from the past was Archie Scott-Brown. He had a seriously shortened arm but on his day in big hairy Lister Jaguars, he was simply better than Jim Clark. Absolutely astonishing and as a child at Goodwood, I can remember being overwhelmed by his aggression and his long drifts through Madgewick. Bloody brilliant.
I think hill climbing had one or two. Was it Peter Boshier-Jones? No maybe Tony Marsh was a UK hill climb champion with a similar disability. Again, the aggression, lack of fear and commitment displayed were something to behold. More recently, my team boss John Greasley wrapped up the '97 British GT Championship in a Porsche GT1 ... with sight only in one eye. Think about it. |
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26 Oct 2003, 11:15 (Ref:763496) | #11 | ||
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Oh yeah I forgot, CAMS will not allow drivers with monocular vision! (one eye)
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26 Oct 2003, 11:15 (Ref:763497) | #12 | |
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Then of course there's Tiff Needell ... always questioned his sanity. No No sorry JOKE Complete Joke not to be taken in bad taste
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John M |
26 Oct 2003, 12:02 (Ref:763538) | #13 | |
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Jason Watt. Also paralysed from waist down. Was leading the F3000 CS when it happened. Missed a few races but still finished second. Now he has been driving the Danish Touringcar CS for Peugot.
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26 Oct 2003, 12:04 (Ref:763539) | #14 | |
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woops, saw you already said him =) Ok, what you might not know is that is happened during a photoshoot for a bike mag. He was popping a wheelie and ended up in a ditch.
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26 Oct 2003, 17:36 (Ref:763764) | #15 | ||
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Frenchman Jean de Pourtales raced in F3000 Italia and Euro 3000 recently, despite having lost a hand. I found this old thread -
http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...ight=pourtales ..it also mentions the Swede Thomas Danielsson who raced with some success in International F3000 despite apparently being partially sighted in one eye. |
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27 Oct 2003, 02:09 (Ref:764051) | #16 | ||
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Wayne Rainey ex 500GP champ paralysed from the waist down in a bike crash now races 250 superkarts,there also used to be a German Rider with one arm who still used to race classic bikes.
The only disability is a bad attitude! |
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27 Oct 2003, 03:00 (Ref:764068) | #17 | ||
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I miss 1 phalange on 4 fingers, I race karts and drive a F1600 from time to time, does that count hahaha
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27 Oct 2003, 08:49 (Ref:764257) | #18 | ||
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I didnt know Tom Sneva was now paralysed, when did that happen? It didnt happen in an Indycar im sure.
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Andretti, Mario: Auto racing legend owns the rights to an unspecified Spinal Tap song, which he purchased when former manager Ian Faith secretly sold the band’s catalog |
27 Oct 2003, 12:49 (Ref:764489) | #19 | ||
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Mark Haynes ( I think) of the publishers Haynes family , raced a saloon a while back if my memory serves me correctly - he is confined to a wheelchair - I admire all those who overcome adversity to compete.
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27 Oct 2003, 13:34 (Ref:764539) | #20 | ||
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Just to clarify, 'disabled' doesn't neccessarily mean 'in a wheelchair. Tom Sneva I believe is partially-sighted due to botched laser surgery.
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27 Oct 2003, 14:02 (Ref:764572) | #21 | ||
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Quote:
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27 Oct 2003, 22:07 (Ref:765102) | #23 | |||
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Quote:
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28 Oct 2003, 21:05 (Ref:766168) | #24 | ||
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Chezza
diabetics are classed as disabled in the racing world. When you get diabetics you have to hand your race lic back. But if you are ,you just have to go for a special medical with the MSA doctor (Cost around £50 in the middle of london). You also have to get a medical & letter from your specialist every year. Then its the same as everybody else. Take it from me as I have diabeties (Jan 2000) and I race a Single seater in the Monoposto championship. If you have any condition you think will stop you ring the MSA and ask for the medical side they are very helpfull. Stephen |
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28 Oct 2003, 21:42 (Ref:766201) | #25 | ||
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The late Vivion Daly who competed in Irish FF1600 and FOpel/Europa was blind in one eye....didn't seem to affect him too much as he won many races and championships over the years.
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